Street-cleaner.



C. L. TALBOT.

STREET CLEANER. "APPLICATION FILED AUG. H. 1913- RENEWED MAY \0, 1916. U%@W Patentgd Dec. 12,1916,

' 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1- C. L. TALBOT.

STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION. man AUG. 11. 1913. RENEWED MAY 10,1916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wihwooao Q UL TaLbot (3. L. TALBOT.

STREET CLEANER. APPUCATION. FILED AUG.H,193- RENEWED MAY 10 9X6- Pmtenmdi Bee. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

22 m wmwwo C. L. TALBOT.

STREET CLEANER.

APPUCATKON HLED AUG.I1,1913- RENEWED MM! Pamnmd Dec. 12,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

m g v C. L. TALBOT.

STREET CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.H,1913.

RENEWED MAY 10, 1916.

Pamnted Dec. 12, 1916.

5 SHEETS SHEET 5.

@ L 1mm CHARLES L. TALBOT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 MUNICIPAL SANITARY DEVICES COMPANY, OF PLYMOUTH, INDIANA.

STREET-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 11, 1913, Serial No. 784,140. Renewed May 10, 1916. Serial No. 96,716.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that '1, CHARLES LEON TAL- nor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street Cleaners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to street cleaners, more especially of that type wherein a revolving brush sweeps the dirt into the lower end of an elevator casing, whence it is carried upward and dumped into the body of the machine, and wherein provision is made also for collecting the dust and delivering that into the body as well. Machines of this kind are now commonly mounted on motor vehicle trucks, and are used by cities and large towns for sweeping the streets and collecting the sweepings, which latter may then be carried to a dumping ground and disposed of quickly without handling the same a second time.

The primary object of my invention is to effect improvements in the structure of the street cleaning mechanism itself, as will appear below.

The secondary object of my invention is to improve the details of the body and the dumping mechanism therefor.

The following specification sets forth the preferred construction of my machine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of this machine complete; Fig. 2 is a plan view with the body removedand partly in section; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, approximately through the center of the machine; Fig. 4 is a section taken about on the line 4.'& of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail of the receiving box at the lower end of the elevator casing; Fig. 6 is a section taken about on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged sections of the clutches hereinafter referred to. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail, partly in section, of the hand lever mechanism for'elevating the brush. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail showing the looped center of one of the clutch-operating levers.

The running gear of thi ma hine, while forming no essential part of the present in vention, consists primarily of a motor-vehicle whose frame F carries the mechanism yet to be described. This frame is supported by suitable springs S on the axles and wheels, but we are interested only in the rear axle A and the rear wheels W. The engine E is suitably connected with the power shaft P which is mounted in journals across the framework forward of the rear axle, and this shaft is connected at its extremities by chains and sprockets C with .the rear wheels W which run loose on the ends of the rear axle. Said axle is shown as extending completely across the machine, but this detail is unimportant. The power shaft P is in two parts connected at their inner ends by differential mechanism D which is indicated in Fig. 2 but need not be illustrated and described in detail. Such is the provision ordinarily made to permit large motor vehicles to turn corners.

Thebody B is a box-shaped structure movably mounted in the frame F in a manner described below, and its details other than as herein set forth are unimportant. There will be a seat for'the single operator who drives the machine, and within his reach are the control levers and the steering wheel as usuaL. a

I may say at this point that while I have illustrated and described this machine as intended to be used for the collection of dirt and dust on the city or town streets,

it is quite possible that it could be employed for collecting garbage, trash, or other refuse and carrying the same to the dumping ground, because it will be ordinarily employed as a sweeper but once in a week or once in two weeks, and at other times it may be used on other municipal work by simply throwing the sweeping and elevatin mech' anisms out of action and using the body B for the purposes suggested or for any other suitable purpose. With this idea in view T do not wish to be limited to the shape and size of the body, as the following description refers to that type of body which W11].

be used when the machine is employed as a llt) ried by; mali nant... 5' which is Supported on the chassis frame F as best seenv in Fig-"' 6: Each',driven gear 2 contains a backing ratchet (3 of any suitable character,-

and the inner end of this ratchet member may constitute one member 7 of a clutch-as seen in Fig. 6, the other member 8 thereof beingsplined"on the shaft as at 9 scam the" rotation ofthis shaft may be checked atwill. As there are two driven gears 2 independently connected with the ends of the powershaftiP','-it is necessary to. disconnect them simultaneously 'from the counter shaft and therefore I'use'a single hand -lever, 10 from which-two wiresor-cords 11 lead rearward,

thence .l'outward around pulleys 12, andare connected withithe, forward ends of operatinglevers 13 which arepivoted at 14 onthe rectangular frame 2 S55 Said levers have.

loopedcentersfo in which are pivoted rings 15*. loosely embracing-the grooved hubs 16 ofthe clutch membersS; and when the lever 10is properly-manipulated both members 8 are drawn-inward against the tension of springs 18; whose normal tendency is to hold the clutches closed When the lever 10 is released and'gpermitted: to move. to the rear, the expansion ofrthesesprings closes said clutchesand thro'wsthe counter shaft3 into connection withathe power shaft P so that the former-is driven whenever the latter rotates, and of course the-latter rotates while themachineis progressing along the streets. As'iwill' be *seensbelow, this countershaft drives all thefstreet cleaning mechanism, and I consider the specific. construction of its connection with I the power shaft, of impor: tance. Mlheria :machine .of. this character is driven around .a 3 corner or turned. rather sharply, one wheel W becomes a pivot and remains substantially still while the other wheelon the .outside-iofv the curve turns a little fastersthani.usual. 5 By the construction described, ibis the outside orrapidly moving wheelwhich drives thestreet cleaning mech-V anism, sofithat: whichever way the machine is turned the. street- ,.is cleaned at this point. After p'assing the turn,- as: soonasthe, oper" atori'pnts the machine "again ona direct line soethat the;differential.mechanism D is idle and the .endsof thepower shaft P turn in unison,;the counter shaft is. driven at its two points. fof connection. a 1- 2. therewith 1 and sprockets 29 on the extremities of the counter shaft 3. Each inner hanger 20 carries a pin or stud 30 loosely engaged by a slot 31 tion, when weight accumulates in the body B and the same with the frame F settles down on the springs S, the counter shaft 3 descends also; but rather than have it carry downward. the axle 25 of. the brush so that the latter will bear too hard on the surface being swept, the pivotal connection existing between the front and rear ends of the push bar-'32 and the brush-support which is descending and the rear axle which is not descending, causesthe support to swing forwardso that the bristles of the brush are held ever in proper contact with the earth beingswept. \Vhen, however, said bristles become worn and it is desired to let the brush down a little farther, the push bars 32 are adjusted on the brackets 34: by means of the holes 33.

The action above described does not prevent the raising of the brush when desired, and for this purpose I employ the following mechanism: A' hand lever 40 adjacent the drivers seat has a ratchet connection etl with the shaft of a sprocket 42, and the latter is connected by'achain .43 with a sprocket 44s on a cross shaft 45, this shaft being in turn provided at its extremities witlrpinions 46 intermeshing with gears 17 which are fast on the bosses 22 at the upper ends of the inner hangers 20,; and therefore when the hand lever 40 is manipulated in the proper direction these pinions turn the gears and the latter swing the hangers which, through their connections 23 with the outermost hangers 21, cause the rise of the brush as the slots 31 in the push bars will permit. When the ratchctmechanism tl connecting the hand lever 40with the sprocket gear 42 is disengaged as by pressing on the thumb latch as usual, the Weightof the brush will cause it to descend until the studs or pins 30 strike the rear ends of theslots in the push bars;

and as above described. these push bars may be set attheirrear ends to adjust the brushsupport according to the wear on the bristles thereof. It will be clear that this means for raising'and lowering the brush is entirely independent of the support for the brush which causes the latter to accommodate itself automatically to the surface being swept, no matter whether the body B is loaded heavy or light,

The sweepings are delivered into a. box 50 which formsthercceiving end of a casing described below; and said box is best illustrated in detail in Fig. 5. its top is closed except for an opening 51; its fr nt ltiti moapae and ends are also closed and its bottom 52 inclines from the front to the rear and stands normally almost or quite in contact with the surface being cleaned and just forward of the brush. The rear edge of this bottom 52 forms in effect a dust pan, and

at its ends it rises as seen at 53 where the box projects beyond the brush, because it is my intention that this box shall be of greater length than the brush as shown. The rear side of the box is open to receive the brush as illustrated in Fig. 1, and said brush is covered by a" hood or top 54 carried on the boX 50. The ends of the top are connected with the inclined-ends 53 of they bottom by aprons of canvas or other material as at This box is supported by eyes 56 which rise from its top as shown in Fig. 5, and these eyes are mounted on pins 57 projecting outward from the frame F, springs 58"being interposed between said frame and eyes at either side of the machine as seen in Fig. 2. If now the operator should drive too close to a curb or other obstruction, especially in rounding a corner, the entire box would be pushed to one side or the other and its eyes 56 would slide on the pins 57 while the aprons 55 perhaps would come in contact with the ends of the brush although the'latter would not be injured; and after the obstruction was passed, the box would resume its normal position'as shown. This element I propose to make of sheet metal excepting where the aprons are employed, and rubber or leather may be used for them or perhaps canvas. Although it is not necessary, I prefer to make said box entirely independent of the elevator easing next to be described, because it is the box that becomes foul and is most likely to be damaged or bent, and if made separate from the casing it can be removed and pos-' sibly replaced by another. 7

The elevator casing 60 is a box-like structure supported from the frame F of the machine in any suitable way and passing down through the side bars thereof for registration with the opening 51 at the top of the box 50, and by preference I provide said casing with a transverse partition 61 rising the full height thereof and being even continued as at 62 within the outlet end'or nozzle 63 of said casing. This partition and its continuation divide the interior ofthe casing and the nozzle into two passages whereof one is for the elevator which handles the dirt and the other is for the suction mechanism which handles the dust. The lower end of the nozzle is cut off on a horizontal line as at 64 so that the body B may pass beneath it as seen in Fig. 3 and as will be described below; and. as seen in Fig. 2 the width of. this casing is considerably less than the length of the box 50 and even so small that it may pass between the till side bars of the frame F. In the upper end of the casing is journaled a shaft 65 carrying upper elevator wheelsor drums 66 over which move the chains and buckets of the elevator whose details of construction. are not essential to this machine. However, I prefer to have two drums and preferably two elevators so that the control wires 11 and chain 43 may pass between the elevators.

The shaft 67 of the lower drums is journale'd in bearings 68 carried in hangers 69, and these are vertically adjustable in any suitable manner in order to tighten the elevator chains. I prefer that the adjustment be at the lower end of theelevators so that it can be reached when the box 50 is removed, but the specific form of the adjustment as well as of the chains and their buckets is not essential to the present inven tion.

Power is applied to drive the elevators by means preferably of a sprocket wheel 7 O on one end of the shaft 65, from which wheel a chain belt 71 leads downward to a sprocket wheel 72whose hub is mounted on a stub shaft 73 projecting from one side of the ole vator casing, and the hub carries another sprocket wheel 74 connected by a chain belt 75 with a sprocket wheel 7 6 which is mounted in any suitable manner on the counter shaft 3, as by being part of the clutch member 8 as seen in Fig. 6. By this means whenever the counter shaft is rotated power is communicated to the upper shaft 65 of the elevators and the latter are caused to raise the dirt that is swept into the box 50 by the brush.

In rear of the partition 61 within the *casing 60 is an upright passage whose lowermend communicates with the interior of the box 50-and whose upper end has an outlet 81 beneath the partition 62 and above the horizontal line 64; and in the angle between the passage 80 and the outlet 81 is journaled a suction fan 82 as best seen in Fig. 3. One end of the shaft 83 of said fan is projected through the casing ind carries a sprocket wheel 84.- which is connected by a chain belt 85 with a sprocket wheel 86 on the corresponding extremity of the shaft 65; and therefore whenever the elevator is driven by the mechanism above described the fan is driven in a proper direction to create suction up the passage 80 and to draw the dust from the box 50 and deliver it into the body B.

The body B forming an important feature of my invention is a box-like structure of suitable size, shape, and material.

used for other purposes than herein de' scribed. llts end gate 92 is by preference By. preference its cover is removably secured.

hingedly supported at 93 at'its upper edge and latched closed at its lower edge as at 94. The entire body may be-mount'ed on cross beams 95 which carry parallel tracks 96' traveling on rollers. 97 which are mountedin pairs on cross shafts 98 j'ournaled at their is such that the upper forward end of the body B stands beneath the outlet ends ofthe nozzles 63 and 81 of the elevator and the fan passage, and this end of the body is cut off on a horizontal line 6 1 as above sug gested whereas the tracks 96 are inclined to the rear. When, therefore, the body is permitted to move to the rear, it will be clear that it slides out from under the outlet end ofthe delivery mechanism without attention on the part of the operator, and

when the body is, restored to the position shown in Fig. 1 said outlet ends connect closely therewith so that the dirt and dust are delivered into the body without being permitted to escape into the air. Depending from the intermediate cross beam 95 of the box structure is a pair of hooks 100 adapted to engage the cross shaft of the rearmost pair of rollers 97 when the body moves to the rear, and'this shaft is so disposed that at this time the body may dump as will be understood without further il1ustration. For moving this body forward and backward special mechanism is provided which I do not consider it necessary to connect'with the engine E, because under ordinary circumstances the body will be dumped so seldom that the operator may well actuate the dumping mechanism by hand. Therefore I have provided a shaft 101 journaled in suitable bearings on the frame F and having a crank handle 102 at one end, and on this shaft between the side bars of the frame F are disposed two side drums 103 and an intermediate drum 104. Around the latter in one direction leads a rope 105 which extends thence.to the'rear and around a pulley 106 and is connected at the point 107 to the bottom of the body B; while around the side drums 103 other ropes 108 lead in the opposite direction and are connected at points 109 to the bottom of the body B near its frontend. Each of the side drums has a clutch-connection with the shaft 101 as seen in Fig, 7 and the intermediate oiem has a similar but reverse clutch connection with the same shaft as seen in Fig. 8. That is to say within one end of each drum the shaft carries a disk 110 having in its edge a plurality of slightly spiral grooves 111 each terminating. at its deeper end in a shoulder 112, and in each groove within the body of the drum is located a ball or roller 113 which is of a size proportionate to the depth of the groove neoaoae to release the drum when it stands at the deep end of the groove or to bite into and clutch the drum when it stands at any other point in said groove. This construction permits the following operation? When the crank handle 102 is turned in one direction the" intermediate drum 104: will wind up the rope 105 while the other drums 103 pay out on the ropes 108. The result is that the body B is caused to travel to the rear along the frame until the hooks 100 engage the shaft of the rearmost pair of rollers 97 when thebody dumps quickly.

When it is desired to cause the body to resume its normal position on the frame, the crank handle is turned in the opposite direction with the result that the drums 103 wind up the ropes 108 while the intermediate drum 101 pays out the rope 105. Winding up the side ropes 108 first draws the body down to a horizontal position and then'draws it upward along the frame in a manner which will be clear. I prefer this specific means for dumping the body, because it is useful in this connection, easily operated, and permits the body to be replaced by another at will by simply attaching the ropes to the new body at the points 107 and 109 5 however, any other suitable dumping mechanism might be substituted, without departing from the spirit of my invention, and in fact the cleaning mechanism could be employed with a body B which was rigidly mounted on the frame and whose accumulated contents could be dumped from time to time in the well known and customary manner. As above suggested, however, I prefer that the body B shall move to the rear before it dumps in order that it will pass out from under the outlet ends of the nozzles 63 and 81, and for this reason the line 6 1 should stand truly horizontal whether the tracks are inclined or not.

I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction, nor to the materials, proportions and finish of parts.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a street cleaner, the combination with a frame mounted on wheels and having pins projecting laterally from it, and an upright casing rising through said frame and leading to a receptacle; of a box disposed transversely beneath the frame and having an opening in its top registering with said casing, eyes rising from said box and loosely mounted on said pins, springs between the frame and eyes for permitting yielding lateral movements of said box, and means for sweeping the street and delivering the dirt into said box and raising it therefrom through said casing.

2. In a street cleaner, the combination with a frame mounted on wheels and having pins projecting laterally from it, and

t lateral movements of said box, an elevator mounted within said casing and having its lower end within the box, the rear side of the latter being open, and a rotary brush carried by said frame for delivering the sweepings into said open side of the box.

3. 1.1 a street cleaner, the combination with a frame mounted on wheels and having laterally projecting pins, a box carried beneath the frame and having eyes loosely mounted on said pins, the box being wider than the frame and having its ends and the endmost portions of its top closed, its front side and bottom being also closed and its rear side open, and means for gathering the dirt and delivering it into said open rear side; of hangers depending from said frame through the open top of the box, bearings within the latter carried by said hangers, an endless elevator whose lower shaft is mounted in said bearings, an upright casing carried on the frame and registering with the opening in the top of the box, the upper elevator shaft being journaled in said casing, n'ieans for ad'ustin one air of bearings, and a delivery spout leading from the upper end of the elevator.

in a street sweeper, the combination with a frame, wheels and axles, and springs supporting the frame on the axles; of hangers pivoted in the frame forward of the rear axle and having studs thereon, a brush journaled between said hangers, means for communicating rotary motion to said brush, and push bars pivotally connected at their rear ends with the rear axle and having slots at their front ends engaging said studs, for the purpose set forth.

5. In a street sweeper, the combination with a frame, axles, springs supporting the frame from the axles, a bracket connected with one axle, and a push bar adjustabl'y connected at its rear end with said bracket and having a slot near its front end; of a shaft journaled in, the frame, a hanger de pending from said shaft, a stud in said hanger loosely engaging the slot of said bar, a brush rotatably supported by the hanger, means for rotating the brush, and manually operable means for swinging said shaft to raise the brush, for the purpose set forth.

6. lln a street sweeper, the combination with a frame, axles, springs supporting the frame from the axles, a bracket connected with one axle, and a push bar adjustably connected at its rear end with said bracket and having a slot near its front end; of a shaft journaled in the frame, a hanger depending from said shaft, a stud in the hanger loosely engaging said slot, a brush rotatably supported by the hanger, means for rotating said brush, a gear fast on said shaft, a pinion engaging the gear, a hand lever at a remote point, and connections be tween said hand lever and pinion, for manually turning the shaft for adjusting the position of said brush.

7. lln a street cleaner, the combination with a frame, an axle housing, a bracket depending from the housing, and a push bar loosely connected at its rear end with said bracket and projecting forwardly and upwardly and having a slot near its front end; of a shaft journaled in the frame, hangers depending from said shaft, a stud in one of said hangers loosely engaging the slot of said push bar, a surface-cleaning element carried by the hangers, a gear on said shaft, a pinion engaging the gear, a hand lever at a remote point, and connections between said hand lever and pinion for swinging said hangers forward to elevate said element.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLEE L. TALBQT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. Wasnnunnn, lERANn V. Coulis. 

